Ladder



Feb. 16, 1932; J W|LDER 1,845,537

LADDER Filed March 26, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1932.

J. ca. WILDER 1,845,537

LADDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1930 2s 1 II I2 31 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1932 JAMES G. WILDER, OF INDEPENDENCE, CALIFORNIA LADDER Application filed March 26; 1930. Serial No. 439,066.

My invention pertains to a ladder suitable for picking fruit from trees or the like, and is of a portable kind which may be collapsed for transportation and may be readily shifted in the orchard. or around the trees.

A general object of my invention is the construction of a ladder mounted in a somewhat wheelbarrow mounting having preferably a single wheelbarrow wheel with two handles and the ladder extending upwardly from the frame comprising the handles and the wheel.

Another object and feature of my invention is a construction of bracing connected to the ladder whereby the base of the ladder which is located adjacent the hand grips of the handle, is spread or spaced wide apart to give stability to the ladder and that the side rails of the ladder do not extend to. or touch the ground but are always spaced above the ground.

Another detail feature of my invention is the use of a back brace for the ladder; this back brace extending upwardly from adjacent the wheels to the ladder and giving a support to the tilted ladder; this brace being mounted sufliciently low to extend underneath the branches of a tree when the wheel is thrust towards the trunk of the tree. And in this connection a further-detailed feature is the location of steps on this back brace so that a person may readily pick fruit from the lower branches underneath the spread of the tree. 7

Another detail feature and construction of my invention pertains to the folding and col lapsing characteristics in which the back brace and the handles may be separated from the wheel by uncoupling the wheel axle therefrom and the back brace may be folded to house between the side rails of the ladder and the handles be hingedor folded to lie along side and, substantially parallel to the back of the ladder side rails. The two may then be attached to the bundle and the device is then in a convenient arrangement for transport.

My invention is illustrated in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1; i v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation with the ladder in its folded or collapsed position, omitting the wheel and axle;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section on the line F 55 of Fig. 1 with the steps removed.

In constructing my invention I employ a handle frame 11 which has two handle bars 12 with hand grips 13 at one end. These converge towards the wheel end 14 and have an axle 15 therethrough with a wheel 16 mounted on the axle. There are cross slats 17 to brace the handle construction. Mounted on the handle bars there is a socket construction 18 which is illustrated as formed of a strap having a Z-shaped end 19 with one end 20 secured to the handles and with two side members 21 and 22 and a base member 23 forming a socket.

The back brace 24 is formed of two bars 25 having their lower ends 26 fitted in the socket member 18 being accommodated between the portions 21 and 22 of this construction. With a bolt 27 securing these ends in position, steps 28 extend between the bars of the back brace, these bars diverging from the wheel outwardly. I

The ladder proper designated 29 has side rails 30 which are tapered from the bottom towards the top. These rails have notches out therein with the rungs 31 set in the notches and preferably with a metal strap 32 over the rungs. It will be noted that the rungs have projecting ends 33 beyond the side rails and at the top there is a flat platform step 34:. Attached to the side rails 30 of the ladder there are two side brace bars 35, these being secured by metal angle members 36 with bolts therethrough. These side brace bars 35 have secured thereto wide eX- tensions 37 of the lower rungs of the ladder and the ladder side rails terminate at the lowermost rung 38 so that the ladder rails do not engage the ground. A removable bolt 39 extends through the side rails 30 of the ladder and through the side bars 25 of the back brace, forming a hinged or pivotal connec tion of these two elements. The side rails 30 of the ladder and the handle bars 12 are connected by special hinges 40 which hinges may be secured to the side rails 30 of the ladder and to the handle bars, or straps may be placed on one or other of these elements to which one of the leaves of the hinges may be attached. It will be noted referring to Fig. 1 that when the ladder is extended the handle bars adjacent the hand grip bear on the underside of the lower step.

When the ladder is assembled as above described, it occupies a position somewhat as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in which by lifting on the handles the whole ladder may be wheeled in a wheelbarrow manner on the single wheel. This wheel may be thrust un der the spreading branches of the tree towards the trunk of the tree if desired, so that the ladder may extend upwardly the outer branches of the tree and be in a convenient position for a picker in picking fruit. Also a fruit picker may stand on the rungs 28 on the back brace and pick fruit growing from the lower branches underneatl the spread of the tree.

When it is desired to collapse the ladder for transportation purposes, the axle of the wheel is removed, the bars 25 of the back brace are disconnected from their metal sockets and the latter folded upwardly so as to fit between the side rails of the ladder and adjusted close to the rungs. The handle bars may then pivot on their hinges 40 and occupy a position somewhat parallel to the back of the ladder, except for the spacing made necessary by the metal socket tting 18. If desired the wheel and the axle may be tied or wired to the ladder and the whole construction makes a compact load for transportation.

' The hinge arrangement 40 makes use of a wood sill 41 on which the side rails 30 of the ladder bear and the ends of this sill are connected to the side brace bars 35. (Note particularly Fig. The hinges 40 are connected, therefore, between the sill. ll and the handle bars 12 of the wheel barrow construction. This arrangement allows the folding and collapsing of the ladder.

Various changes may be made in the priir ciples of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth the description, drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. A device as described, comprising a ladder having side rails, a bottom frame having side bars hingedly connected to the ladder, a wheel connected to they said bars, a back brace detachably connected to the said bars and pivotally connected to the ladder, the back brace being adapted to fold and be housed between the side rails of the ladder and the bars of the bottom frame being adapted to lie alongside of the side rails of the ladder.

2. A device as described, comprising a ladder having side rails with interconnecting rungs and side braces including bars extending outwardly from each of the rails, the brace bars engaging the ground and the rails of the ladder terminating above the ground, a handle frame having a pair of bars, each hingedly connected to the rails of the ladder, a single wheel connected to the side bars of the handle, a back brace having a pair of upwardly inclined bars detachably connected to the bars of the handle and having a pivotal connection to the rails of the ladder.

3. A device as described, comprising in combination a ladder having side rails, side braces including a side bar connected to each rail and diverging downwardly with the lower ends engaging the ground and the ends of the ladder rails being always positioned above the ground, steps interconnecting the rails of the ladder above the side braces, steps interconnecting the side bars of the brace, a handle frame comprising a pair of handle bars hingedly connected to the rails of the ladder and having a wheel connected thereto, a back brace having a pair of side bars, each detachably connected to one of the bars of the handle and having a pivotal connection. to the side rails of the ladder, the bars of the back brace and of the handle frame being adapted to be housed in a collapsed position along the side of the rails of the ladder.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, a metal socket structure connected to the side rails of the handle and having means to engage the lower ends of the bars of the back brace.

5. A device as described, comprising in combination a ladder having side rails and a side brace formed of a pair of brace bars connected to the side rails of the ladder and diverging downwardly with the said bars engaging the ground and the rails of the lad der terminating always above the ground, steps connecting the rails of the ladder and the side bars of the side brace, a handle frame having side handle bars pivotally connected to the rails of the ladder and converging with a single wheel detachably connected to said bars, a back brace having a pair of bars detachably connected to the handle bars adjacent the wheel mounting and having a pivotal connection to the side rails of the ladder and on the inside thereof, whereby on disconnecting the wheel and the back brace from the handle bars the back brace may be folded to be housed between the side rails of the ladder and the bars of the handle hinged to lie substantially alongside of the side rails of the ladder.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, the side bars of the back brace being detachably fitted in the metal socket structure on each of the handle bars, and a series of steps formed on the bars of the back brace.

7 A device as described, comprising a ladder having side rails, converging handle bars connected to the side rails of the ladder, side braces including bars connected to each rail and diverging downwardly with the lower ends engaging the ground, and the lower ends of the ladder rails being always positioned above the ground, steps interconnecting the ladder rails, steps interconnecting the side brace bars, a back brace connected to the handle bars and the side rails of the ladder, and a single wheel connected to the converged ends of the handle bars.

8. A device as described, comprising a ladder having side rails, converging handle bars connected to the rails of the ladder, side braces including bars connected to each rail and diverging downwardly with the lower ends engaging the ground, and the lower ends of the ladder rails being always positioned above the ground, steps interconnecting the ladder rails, steps interconnecting the side brace bars, the steps of both the ladder rails and the side brace bars being in the same plane, a back brace connected to the handle bars and the side rails of the ladder, and a single wheel connected to the converged ends of the handle bars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES e. WILDER. 

